Vladik Volkov
( , Lycanthrope) | birthday = September 22 | age = 20 | gender = Male | height = 5'11" | weight = 178 lbs | blood type = A | affiliation = Impero Nascosto, Wandenreich | occupation = Sternritter A | previous occupation = Member of the Luna Brigata | team = Sternritter | previous team = Luna Brigata | partner = Abram Solovyov Shigenaga Arma | base of operations = Sealed King Palace, Nakayo & Volkov Home, Rider City, Human World St | relatives = N/A | education = Rider University | signature skill = Spirit Weapon (Wakizashi) | manga debut = Sixth Division Reunion...! | anime debut = | japanese voice = | english voice = | spanish voice = }} Vladik Volkov (ブラッディクボルコフ, Buraddeiku Borukofu) is a Holden Quincy and a member of the reborn Wandenreich's Sternritter; serving as "Sternritter A". Previously, he was an antagonist in Akujin's Impero Nascosto. He is a primary protagonist of Bleach: Blutmond and a major antagonist in Bleach: Second Act. Appearance Vladik appears like any average human. He has short black hair, which has a blueish tint to it, as well as dark green eyes. Vladik has distinctive creases on both sides of his nose and has a noticeably pointed chin. Vladik wears a large grey-colored trench coat (white in the manga rendition of his character), which has a large, flamboyant, brown collar (golden in the manga rendition), underneath which is a variation of the standard Quincy attire, especially in coloration; a long-necked military shirt, with a zipper down the center that only reaches half-way. He also wears black slacks and black, fingerless, gloves on his hands, each which has the emblem of the Wandenreich stitched into them in an intricate design. During his time as a member of the Wandenreich's Sternritter, he wore the standard attire for that division; a distinctive white, ankle-length cloak that featured the Wandenreich insignia emblazoned on its back and a hood attached to the cloak's collar, which he wore over his head far more than his fellow Sternritter members, a white double-breasted trench coat tied with a black belt, worn with white trousers and boots. Personality Scarred by a childhood wrought with tragedy, Vladik is a hardened individual, consumed by a desire to create a world without Shinigami or Hollows, both of whom contributed to his childhood horrors. Despite his initial villainous role, Vladik has a compassionate heart, caring for his friend, Abram, above all. Because of this, he has a conflicting view of his enemy, Raian Getsueikirite, who has similar feelings regarding his compassion. Vladik's sole reason for being in Impero Nascosto is to protect Abram and to create his ideal world. In addition to their similar feelings of compassion, Vladik shares Raian's hate for arrogance; both men preferring to show as little of it themselves as possible. However, unlike Raian, Vladik has a very quick temper. His anger can be explosive and particularly deadly to the cause of this sudden burst of anger. Because of his past, Vladik can appear to be very cold to those around him, even those eager to understand him and even to those wishing to befriend him; thus, he has very little real comrades. His rivalry with Raian seems to stem from the two mens' sharing of their values; the care for a special person close to them (Abram in Vladik's case, Mashū in Raian's), their hatred of "evil" (for Raian, this is personified in Akujin, for Vladik, this is personified in all Shinigami and Hollows), and their similar belief in honorable battle. The similarities between the two of them have often caused Vladik to reflect upon his actions and his course of life, though, at least initially, it served to solidify his current resolve as a member of Impero Nascosto. Though his family is unknown, the relationship he shares with Abram is much like that of a relationship between siblings; elder and younger brother to be specific. Vladik has admitted that his desire to protect his friend has lead him to do evil things, however, he finds justification in the result of his actions; Abram's well-being. This relationship mirrors that of Raian and Mashū Getsueikirite, who were actually brothers. Background Childhood Vladik was born in an unknown town, somewhere in the country of , in the Human World. He has stated that he has few memories of his parents, as his father was a drunk, and his mother was only around for a short time. By the time he was seven, Vladik's father had abandoned him, leaving him to a boy's home in southern Russia. It was there that met Abram, who was six at the time, and the both of them became friends. In a cruel twist of fate, at the age of eight, he and several of the other children in the home, including Abram, were abducted and taken far away from ordinary civilization by a group of older men. They were taken to a cabin deep within the mountains and far from where any help could reach them. Confused and disoriented, Vladik's fear unconsciously awakened in him the ability to detect and the ability to see the dead. He and the other kidnapped children were then forced into a barren room and locked in. Over the course of the following night, Vladik overheard the men talking about Hollows, indicating that they were also spiritually aware, and that the boys were to be used as bait. Over the course of the next week, Vladik and the rest of the boys received very poor treatment and little to eat. At some point after then, a group of large Hollows attacked the cabin, though, of the kidnapped boys, only Vladik was able to see them. He then watched as the men that had abducted them shed their bodies, revealing themselves as Shinigami of the , and quickly disposed of the Hollows. It was then that he learned that the Hollows that had attacked the cabin were being hunted by Soul Society because of their tenancy to prey on human children, thus their reason for abducting the boys; to use them as bait for the Hollows. Having no further use for the kidnapped children and being unable to return them to the boy's home without arousing the suspicion of the humans, the Shinigami were under the orders of Captain to kill the human boys. The Shinigami waited until night and attacked while the children were sleeping. Two of the other children were killed, waking Vladik and Abram from their slumber. When the Shinigami moved in on them, Vladik was knocked aside, leaving Abram wide open for attack. Just before the younger boy could be killed, Vladik's ability awoken and mercilessly slaughtered the Shinigami. Following the incident, still towering over the bloodied bodies of his victims, Vladik promised to protect Abram to his last breath. The boys then left the cabin and fled into the wilderness. Joining the Wandenreich The events that took place in his life the next three years are unknown, but by the time he was eleven, he and Abram were found by none other than Yhwach himself, living in the wilderness of Russia. Vladik himself had made a name for himself in the local villages as a creature of carnage, killing anyone unfortunate or ignorant enough to approach their camp. Intrigued by these rumors, Yhwach had gone to investigate. Upon meeting the boys at their camp, Vladik attacked Yhwach, as he had any other intruder at the time. Surprising Yhwach with his knowledge of Quincy powers, despite his lack of training, Vladik managed to graze the Quincy leader, but was quickly put down by the far older and much more experienced Quincy afterwards. Acknowledging his powers, Yhwach invited the young Quincy to join his Wandenreich; a group of Quincy that had gone underground after Soul Society had exterminated them one thousand years prior. Hearing mention of Soul Society, Vladik became enraged and explained the cruel events of the night three years before to Yhwach. Yhwach then explained that the Shinigami had kidnapped them, not only because they were human children, but also because they were of Quincy lineage, making them all spiritually aware and all the more tasty to the Hollows the Shinigami sought after. Yhwach further explained that by developing their Quincy abilities, both boys could strike back at the Shinigami who had used them and the Hollows that hunted them. Accepting this notion, both boys joined the Wandenreich. Many years later, at the age of nineteen and during the Wandenreich's invasion of Soul Society, Vladik appeared, fully grown, as the Sternritter revealed themselves to the . Upon emerging from his pillar of Heiliges Feuer, he attacks and swiftly defeats and of the , despite both having released their Shikai, by grabbing them by the heads and slamming them into the ground. Following this, he was one of the Quincy that attacked the Twelfth Division's headquarters during the same invasion, likely because of his hatred towards Shinigami from that particular division. After Yhwach and the other Sternritter had overwhelmingly won their battles, Vladik joined his fellow Quincy in the complete annihilation of the Seireitei, with he himself obliterating as much of the Twelfth Division's barracks as possible. Impero Nascosto After the Wandenreich's fall, Vladik and Abram, now nearing the end of their adolescence, found themselves "orphans" once again. It was around this time that Tadoku Getsueikirite, calling himself "Akujin", began approaching former members of the Wandenreich to join his Impero Nascosto. Vladik immediately rejected the offer, not wanting to work under a Shinigami and still feeling bitter from his faction's loss in the last conflict with Soul Society. Akujin, however, told Vladik the story of the Quincy extermination, as well as his own tragic past at the hands of the Shinigami, causing both men to find an understanding for one another. Eager to strike back at Soul Society with his renewed vigor, Vladik joined on the condition that Abram would be assigned to be close to him at all times for his protection. Akujin agreed to this. Vladik was then made into a member of Akujin's Luna Brigata. Equipment * Quincy Cross: Vladik, like most Quincy, possesses a cross, which he wears around his wrist, that allows him to form his spiritual particles into a Spirit Weapon. His particular cross is basic in it's appearance. It appears in the shape of an , with a blue, cross-shaped sapphire in the center. It also has cross-like etchings on each of its four points. A detachable ring is attached to its center and, itself, works as a second focusing point for reishi particles, allowing him to magnify the power of the Spirit Weapons he creates. He can also use the cross to store excess reishi and reiryoku for his use of Zaubersprüche - Quincy spells. * Bankai Stealing Medallion: Received during his time as a member of the Sternritter, Vladik possesses a device that is capable of stealing the Bankai of a Shinigami. After joining the Impero Nascosto, however, his device received an upgrade to what the Impero called its "version two"; allowing it to steal previously resistant individual's Bankai, as well as the Resurrección of an Arrancar. The new medallion is far more intricate in design than his original. While remaining around the size of his palm, the medallion is engraved with a far more elaborate Quincy cross and a small star at its center. Once stolen, the Bankai or Resurrección encased in the medallion can be used at will by Vladik. * : A slender weapon that acts similar to a ; loosening up spiritual particles to make it easier for its user to absorb. The Seele Schneider's second ability is to collect reishi during combat by absorbing the opponent's attacks. The more spiritual pressure and energy they release, the more powerful the Quincy wielding it becomes. It allows an opponent's spirit particles to become the users. It can function as both a sword and an arrow. Vladik carries several of these weapons on his person. The exact number he carries at any time, however, is unknown. Powers & Abilities Human Abilities High Growth Rate: Vladik is one of the few individuals considered to be on the same level as the Yonkō without actually being one; a feat commented upon by both Raian and Akujin. His abilities first manifested in him at the tender young age of seven and by the age of eleven, even though he had no formal training, he was able to use them with such skill that he managed to surprise Yhwach, the emperor of the Wandenreich and king of the Quincy race. At the age of nineteen, during the time when the Wandenreich's Sternritter invaded the Seireitei of Soul Society, Vladik's skill was such that he was able to take down two seated officers of the Gotei 13's Third Division, both of whom had released their Shikai, without even having to draw his weapon. He then proceeded to decimate the Twelfth Division and their headquarters. Upon joining the Impero Nascosto, it was Akujin that noted that Vladik's skill and power surpassed even Adolfo Benttino's, the general of the empire's Quincy-populated Tiro con L'arco. : He has an incredible level of spiritual energy, far more than the average human, being gauged at around the same levels as Raian Getsueikirite himself; a staggering testament to his abilities. After the death of Yhwach during the Wandenreich's fall, Vladik is considered possibly the strongest Quincy alive, though, he would later be considered only second strongest, a Yhwach was returned to life. High Intellect: Vladik is an incredibly witty and smart individual; * Expert Tactician: Vladik is noted to be incredibly intelligent, having been compared to scientific minds like and Muramasa Neikan when his intelligence is discussed. He is a noted strategist, able to come up with multiple plans of battle and interconnect them with ease. He is also very perceptive and analytical in nature, able to pick apart an opponent's ability just by seeing it once. * Multi-Lingual: Vladik is apparently well versed in three different languages; , , and . Enhanced Strength: Strength-wise, he was easily capable of slamming two Shikai-using Shinigami into the ground, creating a large crater where they made contact. Quincy Abilities : Unlike the majority of Quincy, Vladik can alternate between close and long-range styles of attack. His proficiency in swordsmanship is such that Raian Getsueikirite of the Yonkō, and a notable swordsman himself, praised him as being capable of taking any of the four Yonkō on with his swords and being able to fight an even match. Vladik uses an unorthodox style of swordsmanship, fighting with two wakizashi rather than one katana, or a . He is, however, extraordinarily talented in its use. Absorption: As a Quincy, he possesses the innate ability to absorb and make use of that saturate the air and constructs around him for weapons and power. He is extremely proficient in this art, being able to do it unconsciously during combat. At one time, Vladik claimed that reishi was "sub-servant" to his will. : Blut (血装 (ブルート), burūto; German for "Blood", Japanese for "Blood Guise"): Like all Quincy, Vladik has the ability to use the Quincy protection known as Blut. However, the independent forms for attack, defense, and magic cannot be employed simultaneously. :* Blut Vene (静血装 (ブルート・ヴェーネ), burūto vēne; German for "Blood Vein", Japanese for "Stilled Blood Guise"): Blut Vene affords Vladik the ability of inhuman durability, blocking blows that would usually break human bones and even block Shinigami Zanpakutō without receiving cut wounds. :* Blut Arterie (動血装 (ブルート・アルテリエ), burūto aruterie; German for "Blood Artery", Japanese for "Moving Blood Guise"): Blut Arterie, on the other hand, affords him unnatural strength and attacking power, which once allowed him to defeat two Shikai-using Shinigami without even having to draw his spiritual weapon. : : Unlike Shinigami , Hirenkyaku relies on the user's mastery of reishi; allowing them to ride the currents of reishi they create beneath their feet. As a Quincy comparable in power to the Yonkō, Vladik's mastery of his reishi collection powers allow him to move at tremendous speeds while using Hirenkyaku. His speed is comparable to , the leader of and the captain of the in the Gotei 13. He is easily able to catch up with captain-level opponents and even outmaneuver them in certain cases. During his time in the Wandenreich, his speed was such that he overwhelmed three Shinigami from the Twelfth Division, tackling them before they could even draw their weapons or release their swords. : Zaubersprüche Master: Vladik is noted as one of the most powerful Quincy spellcasters in history. He is credited as the inventor of a type of magic, an evolution of , called Zaubersprüche. He created the art after witnessing Yhwach's use of in the battle against Soul Society. Unlike Gintō, which releases spells from silver tubes that contain spiritual power, Zaubersprüche relies on a Quincy's mastery of reishi control and can, in many ways, surpass Kidō. The exact mechanics, other than what has been stated by Akujin, are unknown, however, the sheer power of his spells are said to be frightening in and of themselves. : (乱装天傀, Heavenly Wild Puppet Suit): This is a high level technique that allows the user to control their body parts using strings of spirit energy controlled by their brain, forming lines or strings out of countless reishi. By using this technique, the user can control their body as one would a puppet, allowing them to move freely despite paralysis, broken limbs or any other force that would impede normal movement. : Schatten (自己韜晦 (シャドー), Shaten; German for "Shadow", Japanese for "Concealing One's Position") is a Quincy transportation technique that enables the Quincy user to open a pathway between two different dimensions through a shadow. By placing his hand on the ground and then swiftly swinging his arm outward, Vladik is able to greatly extend the resultant shadow to manifest a towering portal shaped like the Quincy Cross, which is large enough to allow several people to exit simultaneously. : (聖隷 (スクラヴェライ), Sukuraverai; German for "Slavery", Japanese for "Holy Slave"): Despite not possessing Quincy: Vollständig, Vladik's control over reishi absorption is so great that he can use this power in his regular state. Sklaverei uses the most basic ability of the Quincy, to gather reishi, in the most powerful way; by enslaving it. It can literally tear away the components that make up spiritual based objects such as those that make up Hueco Mundo and Soul Society as well as the bodies of spiritual beings. When the body of a spiritual being is affected by this power, Vladik can literally assume the characteristics and associated capabilities of his victim. The Animal: Vladik's moniker, given to him by Yhwach while he was in the Sternritter, is also the name of his special ability as a Quincy and was birthed in him at the age of seven, during the kidnapping incident. Suddenly drawing in a vast amount of spiritual energy, Vladik can create spectral wolves that then change form to look real; as if they had flesh and blood. He can use these wolves to fight for him, or as scouts to spy on his enemies. In addition to this power, he also has several animalistic traits. For example, he is able to "smell fear" in individuals, which is actually a sensory ability that allows him to detect intense fearful emotions. His sense of smell and hearing are much higher than an average human's, much like a wolf's own enhanced senses. A weakness to this, however, is the presence of rain, which wipes out certain scents, as well as the flaw that allows these senses to be easily overwhelmed if a scent is too strong or a sound too loud. Spirit Weapon Tiergeibiss (天来デュアル牙狼 (ビーストきば), tīr gābis; German for "Beast Fangs", Japanese for "Heavenly Dual-Fanged Wolf"): Using his Quincy cross, Vladik can form two out of reishi he has collected, and then solidify them to look like real swords. When he wishes to use his spirit weapon for archery purposes, two arch-like formations of reishi erupt from either end of both blades, giving the visual impression of wings, from which he can fire his Quincy arrows. * Heilig Pfeil (神聖滅矢 (ハイリッヒ・ブファイル), Hairihhi Bufairu; German for "Holy Arrow", Japanese for "Destroying Arrow of Sanctity"): Like all Quincy, Vladik is able to create arrows by absorbing the reiryoku of the air surrounding him and combining it with his own immense spiritual power before focusing it into the weapon itself. He can then use these arrows in a variety of ways, allowing for the use of special attacks. His unique brand of Heilig Pfeil takes the form of sword blades rather than the typical arrow formation. * Heiliges Feuer (神聖滅火の手 (ホーリーファイア), Hairihhi Faia; German for "Holy Fire", Japanese for "Sacred Destruction Flames"): By highly condensing his reishi, Vladik can create blue flames. He also uses a unique variation which is appear as a blade extending from his spirit weapon. He can use this variation to attack enemies from long range. This flames are powerful enough to burn the sands of Hueco Mundo, which are otherwise nonburnable. He first uses his unique variation during his part of the invasion of Soul Society while he was still a member of the Wandenreich. He also displayed use of the more common pillar version. * Sternenschauer (蓬 (スターブレイズ), Sutābureizu; German for "Star Blaze", Japanese for "Wormwood"): By creating a Quincy insignia out of his reishi, Vladik can incinerate anything affected by this reishi, leaving not so much as ash behind from the attack. To do this, he merely focuses the reishi into his Quincy cross and then points to his target. * Reishi Bow: Similar to Yhwach, by slashing his sword in the sky, Vladik can form a large bow composed of reishi. He can use this bow for two purposes; to fire large and powerful Heilig Pfeil from the sky above, or to generate an additional spirit weapon. This bow doesn't seem to require the use of his Quincy cross, unlike his other spirit weapons. ** Reishi Broadsword: One of the weapons he can generate from his Reishi Bow is a large broadsword, similar to Yhwach's, which he can then use in close combat in place of his wakizashi pair. The sword is sharp and potent enough to cleave an opponent completely in two should he desire. Lycanthropy As a lycanthrope, even his standard human form has enhanced prowess. Immortality & Eternal Youth: Vladik can live forever, though he can still die of a mortal wound, and, at the same time retain his youth. High-Speed Regeneration: Much like a Hollow, because of his lycanthropy, Vladik's wounds heal unnaturally fast. Even the most severe gashes, broken bones, and bruises can be healed fairly quickly, making him increasingly hard to kill. The potency of his regeneration depends on the moon's cycle. The closer it gets to the full moon, the harder to kill him it is. The closer to new moon, however, the weaker the regeneration is, and the more human-like his body becomes. Werewolf Form: Vladik was born with the curse of lycanthropy; meaning he can, under the correct circumstances, transform into an wolf-like creature. The transformation is induced by intense emotions, be they his or that of someone around him. These emotions are not merely negative in nature, either. For example, the transformation can be induced from powerful feelings, ranging from extreme happiness, love, lust, loneliness, anger, etc. Since he can also "feel out" the emotions of people around him, their emotions can effect the transformation as well, particularly intense feelings of fear. Upon transforming, Vladik's body enlarged by a significant amount, now towering at over three meters tall. This body-size expansion causes his clothes to be destroyed in the process, as his new muscular frame can no longer be contained in human-sized clothing. Canine-like fur begins to grow all over his body, he gains the snout of a wolf, and his hands become large paws, with even larger claws on their fingers. He also gains a sizable tail. Yhwach, upon seeing this form, comments that Vladik's lycanthropy has made his blood "impure", and he is therefore incapable of preforming Quincy: Vollständig. * Den Jagen (赫々猟場 (ハント), din hanto; German for "The Hunt", Japanese for "Glorious Hunting Grounds"): This ability refers to Vladik's incredibly increased senses. He can smell things miles ahead of him, often before they are able to reach him. His sense of smell is strong enough to detect poisons and other dangerous substances his target may use on him. His sense of hearing is also increased substantially, to the point that he is able to hear even the subtle vibrations caused by small movements in the air. This ability also increases his detection of emotions. * Enhanced Speed: In his more bestial form, Vladik is much faster, appearing as little more than a blur when moving. He is easily faster than most Shinigami, even of captain-level, while Uriel is activated. * Enhanced Strength: He is strong enough to smash large boulders and small cliffs while in this form; easily an inhuman capability. Relationships Abram Solovyov Perhaps his most important bond, Vladik's relationship with Abram is one of trust and devotion, with both having known each other since they were small children. When their friendship was still in its infancy, both made a promise to the other, that once they freed themselves from the orphan's home they were living in, they would stick together and live a happy, carefree life. Vladik has held on to that promise even into his adulthood. As they grew older, their bond became closer to that of an elder and younger brother. Abram looked up to Vladik greatly and drove himself to improve as a Quincy to impress Vladik. Vladik, on the other hand, acted the part of the ever-watchful elder brother, who was quick to protect Abram in times of need. As the two reached their mid-teens, Vladik began to notice something different. While he still cared deeply for Abram, a different kind of care was beginning to blossom in him. He quickly recognized this sensation to be love, and was, at first, afraid of it. At the time, he had increasingly begun to fear his transformation into a werewolf, due to high emotions, so the intense feelings of love he began to instill fear that such transformations would become more frequent. Fearing even more that he'd hurt Abram if he transformed, he hid his feelings, starting down the path to the cold, apathetic, yet silently caring person that he is today. On one occasion, when he was still a teenager, and, ironically, during a full moon, the pent up regret of not getting to share his love with Abram were set free, transforming him and confirming his fears. Shigenaga Arma Vladik met during a covert mission to Soul Society to learn the origins of his curse. He hunted Shigenaga specifically, as the Shinigami was a well known Kidō master among the Shinigami, particularly in the field of curses. Initially, their relationship was composed solely of both men using one another to achieve certain ends. In Vladik's case, he wanted to use Shigenaga's knowledge of curses and Kidō to undo his lycanthropy. In Shigenaga's case, he wanted to make use of the strength of Vladik's werewolf form to further his own criminal business. Both men used each other for lustful reasons, at the same time. Reception Vladik has received great acclaim across both Bleach fan fiction wikis for his development and his unique emotional situation and abilities. Perchan, a user on the sister wiki, the , had the following to say about Vladik during the Quincy Competition; : Trivia * His theme song, as designated by the author, is The Animal by . * According to the author, Vladik is , though he does not openly discuss his sexuality with others. * His character tagline is a common saying in , being featured in the films , its , and . * His surname, "Volkov" is a common Russian surname meaning "wolf". * Vladik was designated "Sternritter A" prior to the revelation in the manga that the designation "A" was meant for Yhwach and his successor. What this means, in-story, has yet to be revealed. * He was originally meant to be the main character of Blutmond. This was later decided against, so that a main character could be built up from noting. References Category:Wandenreich Category:Quincy Category:Holden Quincy Category:Sternritter Category:Lycanthrope